In the age of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social networking sites, image seems to be everything. If girls from a few generations back had problems feeling confident about themselves once they see reed-thin models or Hollywood celebrities walking down the red carpet, there is even more pressure for young girls these days to look a certain way. Aside from peer pressure, the constant exposure to self-portraits of pouting girls on social networking sites make them feel as if they should look and act that way, too.

As a parent, the issue that you would be dealing with related to this is making your daughter feel beautiful and comfortable in her own skin. Here, we will take a look at the ways that you can encourage your daughter to feel beautiful and happy with exactly how she looks.

Helping Young Girls Feel Good about Themselves

During your daughter’s preschool or kindergarten years, it is but natural for her not to feel too conscious about how she looks due to her young age. It’s also during this age that everyone seems to treat her like a princess, so she definitely feels like one, too. But once your child reaches that crucial stage of being in between childhood and a teenager, that is when she begins to have issues with her face and body.

If she’s a bit heavyset or has a different complexion than others, she may not feel as beautiful as she should. If she sees a Hollywood celebrity wearing skin tight clothes and looking attractive in it, she might feel lacking if she does not have the same body type. These are perceptions that you would have the chance to change as a parent, simply by helping your daughter feel good about exactly how she is built and how she looks. Here are a few more tips on how you can achieve this feat:

• Practice what you preach!
There is probably no woman in the world who does not have something that she does not like about her body – especially once she starts comparing herself with others. But if you have an impressionable young daughter, do not let her see you frowning over the figures on your bathroom weighing scale. Do not make comments about how conscious you are of your own looks, because she might follow suit and have her own insecurities with her body or her looks.

• Encourage your daughter to have fun with clothes and yes, makeup.
Girls naturally veer towards fashion and makeup – and it’s perfectly fine to encourage them to have fun with it. However, you should still stress that natural beauty is the way to go and cosmetics are a simple way to highlight one’s own features.

• Highlight the importance of beauty from within.
This may sound like a cliché but if you would like your daughter to feel comfortable in her own skin, you should highlight the importance of beauty from within. Tell her about how each and every woman is made differently – but it does not mean that she should be insecure if she does not look the same as others. Always tell your daughter how beautiful she is from the inside, and that will translate to how she looks outside.

All these may sound easier said than done. But as long as you are real in your intention to make your daughter feel beautiful and comfortable in your own skin, you should be able to make her feel good about herself, exactly as she is.

It has been a busy spring with introductions of a slew of new products in international cosmetic and jewelry industry trade shows. There was the largest Beauty and Fragrance Industry expo, Cosmoprof in Bologna, Italy and immediately after Cosmoprof there is Basel World in Basel Switzerland, the premiere international couture watch and jewelry show in the world. This past week finished a new Fashion Jewelry product launch at Couture Las Vegas, the exclusive American trade show for luxury jewelry product.

These industry specific trade shows draw store buyers, distributors and vendors from every corner of the world. Cosmoprof offers products from the giants in the Cosmetic world such as Proctor & Gamble, Estee Lauder, Cosmair-L’Oreal and Shiseido. Basel World and Couture are utilized by internationally famous brands such as Harry Winston, Richemont, LVMH and Bulgari. All of the biggest players attend these expositions. And yet, the most interesting, exciting and well-shopped stands are often those representing small, entrepreneurial start-up businesses.

The entrepreneurs you will visit at beauty and jewelry trade shows are unique. They are among the most creative artisans you will find anywhere. Their display will be smaller than the multi-national brand powerhouses, and their marketing minuscule. But their passion, intensity and ability to find a path to success against long odds and heavy competition is often inspirational.

The Couture Las Vegas Jewelry trade show is an ode to luxurious human adornment. There are no Costume Jewelry or mass market products on display. Show management vet’s every product entry and allows only the most beautiful, unique and exclusive lines to be offered. Attendance is strictly controlled and buyers are invited, there are no walk-ins. Nevertheless, there were dozens of small artisan jewelry producers, all offering a range of product created from a novel medium that they had discovered, executed and perfected. The result is innovative jewelry lines that are able to find a niche in the congested world of Couture, High Fashion Jewelry.

The story is the same at Cosmoprof Bologna. There are over 3000 vendors selling every imaginable type of Beauty Product. Aromatherapy, Cosmetic Implements, Cosmetic Applicators and Accessories, Skin Care, Bath and Body Care, Fragrance, Hair Care, Hand and Nail Care, Baby Care, Men’s Treatment, and Color Cosmetics of every type, description and price point from all over the world are on offer to buyers and international distributors from 120 countries. Still, once again, the small producers enjoyed a terrific opportunity to differentiate themselves from their mega-competitors. Their booths were busy and interest levels in the newest products and concepts was at an all-time high.

Cosmetics and Jewelry are industries where we see incredible entrepreneurial activity. The barriers to entry are not as difficult to hurdle as in many categories that require large technology and financial commitments. If you are creative, driven and have a passion to compete there has never been a better time than the present to be a fashion entrepreneur. Nimble innovators are always in demand.

by: Geoff Ficke

Most women do everything in their power to look as good as possible. Everybody knows that beauty goes hand in hand with health. Nevertheless, ladies spend incredible amounts of money on beauty products that sometimes don’t even have the expected results. Keeping yourself beautiful and healthy is not at all complicated as long as you know how to take advantage of beauty home remedies. Natural products or ingredients that you can find in your own kitchen can prove more efficient than expensive cosmetic products. All you have to is to pick the right ingredients for what you need and to be perseverant. It might be a little bit more complicated to prepare natural beauty remedies than to buy them from a store, but it is sure worth the time and the effort.

Beauty home remedies are at hand whether you are interested in skin care or hair care. If you have dry hair for example, massages with mayonnaise or olive oil are the perfect solution for you. If, on the other hand you have oily hair, try a paste made of boiled carrots and your problem will be history.

When it comes to skin care, the variety of beauty home remedies available is even larger. However, in order for your choice to be effective, you need to determine your skin type. Natural beauty remedies differ depending on how your skin is. Almond oil or a mash made of bananas is excellent for dry skin, but they can only worsen the condition of an oily skin. As I said, beauty home remedies are just a few steps away, into your kitchen. Ground coffee can easily be used instead of expensive scrubs because it does a great job in exfoliating your skin. The kitchen can also provide solutions if you have acne. Garlic is great when cooking and it’s even greater when applied on the skin areas affected by acne. Your nails and your teeth can also benefit of natural beauty remedies. Make your own toothpaste from lemon juice and salt or from apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Everyone will the envy your beautiful smile. A true lady also has an impeccable manicure at all times. Olive oil nourishes your hands and nails and makes them look perfect.

Whatever your problem is, there is always a natural solution at your disposal. Whether you are trying to get rid of wrinkles, to avoid hair loss, to reduce cellulite or just to have a natural approach towards your body, beauty home remedies are going to help you.